Shipyard hiring for 800 more 'helper' jobs

Helpers work full time and can attend classes on their own time to get ahead. About 85 percent of incoming apprentices come from the helper ranks. Starting pay is $15.27.

The positions comprise all production trades plus Code 700, which is cranes.

The announcement will be posted at www.usajobs.gov Monday morning and taken down Wednesday evening, said shipyard spokeswoman Mary Ann Mascianica.

“There’s a lot of production work coming down the road over the next few years,” she said. “It takes time for new people to get trained up to be mechanics or sheet metal workers or whatever.”

It took time to process the last 1,073. The jobs were posted Sept. 23. They’ve all been obligated, though processing continues at the rate of about 50 per week.

The shipyard continues to hire experienced workers to keep pace with those who retire or quit, but there aren’t enough of them available for new positions. The facility must train its own.

“We are acutely aware that a lot of our senior, high-skilled mechanics in all trades are coming within the age of retirement,” Mascianica said. “To be able to pass their skills along, their tips and tricks of the trade and experience they have to new people, we have to start now.”

The new jobs will bring the shipyard’s workforce close to 12,000, the most in years, Mascianica said.